Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-05-28
In OLD MEXICO.
AN UNPRECEDENTED "BOOMv IN
THE NORTHERN STATES.
Searching for the Seven Golden
Cities" OF the Ancients.

Especial correspondence of the REcoRD-O MON. |
. MEXICO, May 10, 1887.
Everybody remembers Lieutenant Flip
per, whose name figured 50 extensively in
the newspapers few years ago-the young
colored graduate of West Point, who was
discharged from the service as much GA &c
count of stain in his blood and prosecutions
arising therefrom, as for alleged matfeas-
ance in office. Well, his romance IL no
longer that of "a poor young men, for
the prospects ere that he is about to become
the richest negro in the world.
At West Point they used to sar that little
Flipper was given toall manner ~ fiops, y
and his latest masterpiece in that line
has been so bewildering a success that he
will speedily find himself millionaire
many times told, able to buy and sell in a
lump the whole circle of his former perse-
cutors. For some time he has been in the
employ of syndicate of Chicago capital
lists and army officers, engaged In search
ing for the lest mines of Northern Mexico
the traditional golden seven" of the
c0E7sissaderes. Fiipper's party claim to have
discovered two ofthese long disused mines
the famous Guaynepe and Laycina, which
formed no small part of the lei Dorado of
the conquerors, and which still contain in
e1haustible supplies of precious metal
The report is said to have been confirmed
beyond question, and Lieutenant Flipper is
now in Chicago preparing to enjoy the
fruits OF his quest. Imagine the swell he
will cut, the diamonds he will sport, and
the brunette beauties who will vie with
one another for his distinguished atten-
tionsl No doubt this american citizen
Of African descent" will make as good use
of his wealth as most young men who
come by it suddenly, and certainly his en-
terprise in ferreting out the lost treasures
deserves its full reward. The discovery
opens anew a most interesting subject
that Of
THE sewn GOLDEN CITIES
OF the Mexicans, whose fabulous wealth,
like the legend of the Golden Fleece, lured
the soldiers of Cortez to fresh explorations
and adventure. When the Spaniards first
flung open the door of the New World.
they were actuated simply by love of ad-
venture. Twenty years later a lust for gold
and fame fired Pizarro and Cortez to still
more daring deeds. and the so-called 'Holv
War of religious crusading that ensued
was merely pretext for conquest.
After subjugating Mexico Cortez re-
turned to Spain to receive the honors
heaped upon him, leaving Viceroy Guzman
In charge of the conquered empire The
trouble with GuZman-who wasted Cortez'
wealth and abused his friends-was that
his greed had been stirred by the marvel
Gus tales of an Indian servant, who told of
Golden Cities TO the northward. in terri
tory yet unvisited by any European. 1t
was fable worthy of Queen Scheherezade.
but this Mexican Caliph believed it. and
al cd Z
trying to devise some way whereby he
might discover these golden glories and ap-
propriate all their treasures to himself
without letting any other Spaniard into the
secret
The Indian avowed that he remembered
going with his parents, when a boy, to
barter with those people of the north. In
their towns he saw temples whose walls
were of solid gold, and enormous houses.
covered with plates of FURNISHED gold,
While workers in gold flied all the streets.
the commonest utensils were made of pur-
est gold and silver, and everybody wore or
nements blazing with precious stones.
These Seven CiGes-so said the native-lay
only thirty days journey across the deserts
northward from the City of Mexico.
Finally Guzman abandoned his trust.
and Gin March of 1884, with following of
400 Spanish soldiers and about 20 coo In
dams set out, determined to conquer those
rich tribes or perish in the attempt. He
made his way northward nearly thousand
miles, meeting only stupendous sierras and
stretches OF burning sand, while the i1lis
JotgEs OF his dreams appeared as far away
as ever. At length his provisions were ex-
hansted, his soldiers mutinous, and he was
forced TO temporarily abandon the expedi-
ton. Not daring to return to Mexico CITY.
hlg of lnI IN Fol. J.
up his project, but brooding upon it bv
night and day, till his final quietus came in
the guise of an assassins dagger.
But the yarns continually spun bv the
male Scheherezade found otherIlisteners as
eager to believe. The next explorer was
NIzER, THE FRANCISCAN MONK.
Who started northward, with his Missal in
one hand and sword in the other. avoWing
that he relied solely upon supernatural
guidance and wanted the treasures only
for the Lord sake. He pressed on and on.
through lonely mountain passes and over
might deserts and finally returning, re-
ported to Antonio de Mendoza, Condo de
Tendille (who was viee-king of Mexico
from 1875 10 $780, that be had found a
Golden CITY, which must Hnquestionably
be one OF those described by the Indian.
But Nrlar tIzer was more OF romancer
than his priestly character warranted. The
real truth was that be penetrated as far as
the borders OF Sonora, where he found a
recently established monastery; and there
he tarried TO refresh himself among the
sanity brethren, sending forward a negro
named Stephen with 800 Indians. to look
up the Golden Cities. From frequent cues.
tons asked by these explorers, the natives
all along the route soon OWNED their mis-
sion, and perpetrated upon them wha, in
these days would be called practical Joke
-inventing wild tales of magnifcence with
which to satisfy and get rid of the dreaded
strangers, but always locating the colder
goal little further ahead.
BY and by Stephen sent messeppe,
back to ARer, with fabulous reports of i'm
mensely rich cities on plain bevond III,
mountains and though no white men ha,
yet seen those cities, the story was fully be
lieved, since it met the fancies of the ad
venturers. Thereupon Nicer girded up hi!
lolns and went forward little wav, find
ing the country and the inhabitants richie
as he proceeded. Al the edge of the frs
desert he halted, and there receiving NOR,
good news from Stephen, resolved to wal
Tor further developments.
The negro and his band-who alvav,
sent native running ahead. with gourt
an,astlcaily decorated with feathers anC
pSAei iuoNNteu on SUCK, intended as
symbol OF peace-at last arrived at tn,
gates of town. But the CseiGue thereo
refused to be placated by the fantasti,
gourd, and would not alloy the stranger
10 enter. When the latter became i'm
Fortunate, the natives sailed out and killed
Stephen and aNhis band, except three, VIII,
managed TO escape. One of these reported
10 Father Nicer, but the priest would no
believe him. and went forward himself
Finally, Nicer climbed a mountain. from
whose summit he beheld in the plain be
yond great city, with Aat-roefed house
and many Inhabitants So. in the cas-,
way of the good Catholics OF these GAYS. Ia
TOOK POSSESSION az THE ENIIRE cuoNnR,
by merely setting up a cross, and declar
ing It to be the joint properly Of the I,or,
and himself.
While the simple4hearted people in tn
valley town Went about their usual b,lsi
ness, whatever it may have been. in happ,
Ignorance that they now belonged 20 Spain
and had been conseers.ed to new re}ieion
Nicer fastened bS@k to Central Mexico
and told as astonishing tales of adveatgr,
as later travellers are prone to inrant
Everybody believed him. Don Coronsdo
then Governor of Ialisao. took him I,
t-ceroy Mendoza, and then his "thousasss
ari one stories" increased in minutenes
oofdetail. Mendoza, thoroughly convinced
invested half g million dollars in fittine
out-our hundred Spanish soldiers to go anc